PETALING JAYA: A disciplinary teacher at Zara Qairina Mahathir’s school has maintained that students there are generally well-behaved, in contrast to earlier testimonies that swearing and toxic behaviours are common.
Nur Shukriah Fauzi, who was testifying in the inquest into Zara’s death, told the Kota Kinabalu coroner’s court that the students were “good – not too good, but generally good”. She added that most offences involved only minor disciplinary breaches.
She was responding to a question from coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan who asked about the level of discipline among female students during her eight years at the school.
Amir Shah said he asked for her personal assessment as the Form 4 students involved in the case had been enrolled at the school since Form 1.
“I ask this because the majority of students who have given their statements say swearing is common at the school, and that the environment is very toxic,” he said, according to Sinar Harian.
Nur Shukriah told the court the school has implemented a range of disciplinary and religious programmes.
“The disciplinary unit carries out many daily programmes. Islamic programmes are also organised by the Pendidikan Islam and Bahasa Arab teachers.
“We have done our best for the children, and every morning, I remind them to speak courteously and to respect one another,” she said.
Nur Shukriah also said she was “dismayed” by the notion that full responsibility for student discipline rests solely on teachers.
“The community outside the school, especially parents, also share this responsibility. A child’s first teachers are their parents, and their home is their first school,” she said.
Nur Shukriah also agreed when questioned by lawyer Farrah Nasser, who represented Zara’s mother Noraidah Lamat, if the school should have informed Noraidah about the meeting between Zara and five other students that took place the night before the girl was found unconscious.
Bernama reported her as saying the school did not inform Noraidah about the meeting as they were concerned it would further distress her, given that Zara was her only child.
Nur Shukriah acknowledged that the abusive words used during the meeting may have affected the teenager’s emotional state.
Zara, 13, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar.
The inquest continues.
